The Mediating Role of Teaching Practices in Kindergarten and First-Grade Classrooms

• In Event: Designing and Evaluating Instructional Practice and Outcomes

Abstract

Many studies (e.g. Wayne and Young, 2003; Rice, 2003) narrowly focus on teacher characteristics theorizing how they influence student outcome. However, these studies neglect how teacher characteristics changed into teaching process that gives student outcomes.Using structural equation modeling, this study focused on the relationships among teacher characteristics, teaching practices, and student outcomes. In the model, teacher characteristics are theorized to influence student outcome indirectly through teaching practices.The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative dataset, is used for the study. The sample includes 5,407 students from kindergarten through first grade.This focus on mediating role of teaching process seeks to open up “highly qualified” teachers to include teaching practices as well as teacher background characteristics.

Author

• So Jung Park, University of Wisconsin